This invention relates generally to air treatment and conditioning and, more particularly, to an apparatus, system and method such as may desirably alternatively reduce air humidity or facilitate heat energy recovery.
As the cost of various energy sources has increased, there is a need and demand that energy-using systems be more energy efficient and, consequently, desirably more economical. As will be appreciated, energy-efficient, economical air treatment has and is becoming a more significant aspect in residential property design. In general, wintertime air treatment costs can be minimized or reduced through the recovery of heat from air which ultimately is be exhausted or discarded. Summertime air treatment costs can, in turn, be minimized or reduced through the reduction of the humidity of treated air.
In view of the above, there is a need and a demand for an apparatus, system and method such as may effectively reduce air humidity, such as may be desired for air treatment during the summer season. Additionally, there is a need and a demand for an apparatus, system and method such as may effectively facilitate energy recovery seasonally, as may be needed or desired.
In particular, an apparatus and system such as may effectively and selectively alternatively reduce air humidity or facilitate heat energy recovery, such as may be desired for air treatment during summer and winter seasons, as well as corresponding methods of operation and treatment of air have apparent commercial benefits and have been and are desired and sought.
A general object of the invention is to provide improvements in the apparatus and methods of treating air.
A more specific objective of the invention is to overcome one or more of the problems described above.
The general object of the invention can be attained, at least in part, through a specifically disclosed variable, dual mode ventilator apparatus adaptable for conversion between first and second modes of operation. The ventilator apparatus includes a partitioned housing which forms first and second parallel air treatment passageways in counterflow arrangement. Each of the first and second air treatment passageways have an inlet for intake of air to be treated and an outlet for exhaust of treated air.
The ventilator apparatus also includes, contained within the housing, a rotatable desiccant bed. The rotatable desiccant bed has a selectable rate of rotation and forms a first sector in the first passageway and a second sector in the second passageway. The air to be treated in the first passageway contacts the first sector of the desiccant bed to form the treated air of the first passageway and the air to be treated in the second passageway contacts the second sector of the desiccant bed to form the treated air of the second passageway.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, in a first mode of operation, the treated air of the first passageway is of higher humidity as compared to the corresponding air to be treated and the treated air of the second passageway is of lower humidity as compared to the corresponding air to be treated. In a second mode of operation, the treated air of one of the first and second passageways is cooler as compared to the corresponding air to be treated and the treated air of the other of the first and second passageways is warmer as compared to the corresponding air to be treated.
The prior art fails to show, suggest or provide means for the treatment of air and corresponding methods of air treatment which are as effective and as efficient as desired in reducing the humidity of incoming air, such as may be desired when treating air of high relative humidity as may be common during the summer season. The prior art also fails to show, suggest or provide means for the treatment of air and corresponding methods of air treatment which are as effective and as efficient in facilitating energy recovery seasonally, as may be needed or desired, such as in preheating makeup air, as may be desired during the winter season or appropriately conditioning incoming air during the summer.
The invention further comprehends a temperature and humidity control system which includes a variable, dual mode ventilator apparatus. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, such ventilator apparatus includes a partitioned housing which forms first and second parallel air treatment passageways in counterflow arrangement. Each of the first and second air treatment passageways have an inlet for intake of air to be treated and an outlet for exhaust of treated air. The apparatus also includes, contained within the housing, a rotatable desiccant bed having a selectable rate of rotation. The rotatable desiccant bed forms a first sector in the first passageway and a second sector in the second passageway, whereby the air to be treated in the first passageway contacts the first sector of the desiccant bed to form the treated air of the first passageway and the air to be treated in the second passageway contacts the second sector of the desiccant bed to form the treated air of the second passageway. In such system apparatus, the outlet of the first passageway is connected to a first dampered conduit and the outlet of the second passageway is connected to a second dampered conduit. Further, the first and second dampered conduits are positionable for conversion of the system between first and second modes of operation.
In the first mode of operation, the treated air of the first passageway is of higher humidity as compared to the corresponding air to be treated and the treated air of the second passageway is of lower humidity as compared to the corresponding air to be treated. In the second mode, the treated air of one of the first and second passageways is cooler as compared to the corresponding air to be treated and the treated air of the other of the first and second passageways is warmer as compared to the corresponding air to be treated.
The invention still further comprehends a method of ventilator operation. The ventilator includes first and second parallel air treatment passageways in counterflow arrangement. Each of the first and second air treatment passageways have an inlet for intake of air to be treated and an outlet for exhaust of treated air. The ventilator includes a rotatable desiccant bed having a selectable rate of rotation. The rotatable desiccant bed forms a first sector in the first passageway and a second sector in the second passageway, whereby the air to be treated in the first passageway contacts the first sector of the desiccant bed to form the treated air of the first passageway and the air to be treated in the second passageway contacts the second sector of the desiccant bed to form the treated air of the second passageway.
A method of operation of such a ventilator, in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the invention, includes first and second modes of operation. The first mode of operation includes a step of contacting the second sector of the desiccant bed with high humidity air to remove moisture from the air to be treated to form dehumidified treated air. Such a first mode of operation also includes a step of contacting the first sector of the desiccant bed with air to remove moisture from the desiccant and to form treated air of increased moisture content. The second mode of operation includes a step of contacting one of the first and second sectors of the desiccant bed with air to be treated of a first selected temperature to heat the desiccant and to form treated air of reduced temperature, as compared to the air to be treated. Such a second mode of operation also includes a step of contacting the other of the first and second sectors of the desiccant bed with air to be treated of a second selected temperature to form treated air of increased temperature as compared to the corresponding air to be treated.
As used herein, references to xe2x80x9cparallel passagewaysxe2x80x9d are to be understood to refer to passageways which are spatially in a general parallel relationship.
Further, references herein to a passageway as a xe2x80x9cfirstxe2x80x9d or a xe2x80x9csecondxe2x80x9d passageway are, in the broader practice of the invention, to be understood to generally serve to identify a respective passageway without necessarily otherwise distinguishing or differentiating such passageways in structure, form or operation. Thus, while references to the passageways of dual mode ventilator apparatus in accordance with the invention have been generally sought to be used consistently within each particular description of particular embodiments of the invention, the drawing of other significance to the identification of a passageway as a xe2x80x9cfirstxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9csecondxe2x80x9d passageway is generally to be avoided.
Other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the appended claims and drawings.